Improvement in porcelain-knob machines



r 2 Sheeis-Sheet I.

T. J. SLOAN. Improvement in Porceiain-Khob Machines.

Patent ed April 25,1871.

. c K Va v -2 Sheets-- Sheet2. T. J. SLOAN.

Improvement in Porcelain No. 114,210.

- Knob Machines.-

Patented April 25, 1821.

die, I, to mold the material into knob form, said lower die resting upon. a base, J, that is carried by a stationary cross-piece, c, and that has a stud, f, on it projecting up through the lower die portion 1, to form the cavity for the shank of the knob. The upper die G lower dies ascent, and afterward, including the'return of, the lowerdie to its dropped position again, the upper die continues to ascend, leaving the molded knob exposed upon. the lower 'die,' as thedatter re- A mains stationary above the die-case, for a purpose that will be'hereinafter specified. v

, .As there are several peculiarities in the action, as just described, of the dies G and I, which have a bearing upon the production of the knob, the same will now be explained.

The plunger H, which is carried by a frame that slides up and down within suitable guides or ways connected with the side pieces K Kof the main frame,- operates in its descent, for the' most part, with a positive motion to give the necessary pressure on the ma terial between the dies, although at first causing the upper die G to bear only lightly and with a graduallyincreasing pressure, by reason of'an interposed spring, g, carried'by the plunger, and a slotted connection, h, of the pin i, that attaches the plunger to the pitman L, which latter is operated by a revolving crank, M,

on an upper shaft, N, that derives its motion by gearing, I'm, from a main driving-shaft, O.

The pitman L takes its hearing by ateat, n, first on the spring g, and subsequently in a direct manner,

by means of the slot h on a concave, 0, formed in the top of the plunger, and,-when fthus' b'roughtdown to a dead or solid bearing, the pin tis relieved of strain, from which it is free, in "fact, throughout the whole of the descent or pressing action but it is in the ascent of the plunger and upper die G that the main advantage of the yielding connection between it or the plunger H and its operating-pitman L is established. Thus, by means of the spring 9 and slotted connectionfh i, the upper die G, in rising, together with the lower die 'I, has a gradually-yielding pressure or hold on the material between the dies till the spring 9 is relaxed and the 'pin '11 rests upon the bottom or: the

slot, after which,.and when the lower die has'come above the die-case, the upper die wholly leaves the material. p

This holding of the material in a gentle manner both above andbelo'w till it is clear of the die-case allows for equal or general expansion of the same at dilferent points, and prevents air-cells being formed in the top surface of the-knob; also gives a closer finish to the same, and reduces the tendency of the knobs to crack on said surface during the process of burning them. i

The lower die I is operated by the conjoint action of a cam, P, on the shaft N, and a spring, Q, through the medium of a rock-shaft, R, which is vibrated in the one direction, to lift the die, through a toe, '1), link, and sliding frame composed, in part, of rods'q q, the cam P- operating to produce lift of'the die by bearing down on a rod, 1', jointed at its lower'end ,to an, arm," s, of the rock-shaft, and pivoted at its upper end to a lever, t, which has'its'fnlcrum at 'u. The spring Q serves to lower the die I after the cam P has ceased't-o elevate and hold it raised as required; I

After the molded knob has been lifted out of the die-case 1 andis exposed on the bottom ,die I above said case, shortly after the upper die'G has left it, an automatic device, S, comes forward and, grasping in a gentle manner the molded knob at opposite points on its edge, tr'ansfers the-knob from off thelower dieI to and over a loosely-hung horizontal head or lower cir- =cnlar clamp,T, ofa rotary dressing device,'where it is deposited and centered by an upper hub portion, v, of the clamp entering the shank cavity of the knob." Soso n as the automatic device Shas taken hold of the knob to transfer it, as specified, the die I drops, and immediately afterward the charge-carrierO comes for ward again, and the plunger ,with the upper'die G descends to repeatthe operation'of forming another knob or lower clamp T. The cutter or scraper U is then moved forward in a gradually progressive manner to trim ordre'ss off the edge of the knob, after which the cutter retires and the lower head or clamp T descends for a limited distapce, when an automatic discharging device, S, similar to the'device S, comes forward and gently-seizes, in like manner, the dressed knob, whilethe'lower head T further descends to take its hub out of the cavity in the knob,-after which the automatic discharging device S retires with the knob, and, re-

leasing hold of the same, drops it on or iutoany suit-- able receiver.

It is preferred to so operate the devices S S that when the discharging one, S, of them moves forward to take a dressed knob from off. the loose head T the other ortransferring device S simultaneously moves forward to seize a molded'knob on the lower die I, as the same is presented for removal to the dresser, and

' so that while the discharging device S retires with a dressed knob the other corresponding device S conveys a.newly-molded knob to the dresser. This may be done by causing both devices S S- to be carried in a fast and radial manner by one and the same vertical -rockingsh aft A, which'receives its several'requisite intermittent movements to horizontally swing and give the necessary. changing positions and intervals of rest toboth'devices SS, relatively with the die 'I and dressing-clamp T, by means, conjoint] y with a spring, 0', of a suitably-shaped cam, B, on the shaft N, and an arm, a, onthe rock-shaft A, in pin gear with said cam. i

' The holding-and releasing action of the devices S S on the knobs may be eifected in a similar manner and atthe sametime in'ea'chdevice by. means of slidin'g jaws b b, a pair to eitherdevice. Bot-h pairs 'of jaws are simultaneously opened to enable them to releasehold of their respective knobs andto remain open, when required, by means of cam,Df'; on .the shaft N, arranged to operate on a lever,- E, pivoted as at 0 and'bearing at its one end,

4 on a rod, (1 which runs concentrically down the rocking'shaft 'A',I'and is connected below by pin and. slot,

with a'sleeve, F, fitted so as to be capable of sliding up and down the shaft .A' and of turning with it.

This sleeve F is fitted with a leg, e; that rests on the rear arm of a lever, j, which has its fulcrum on the radialarms or main portionsof the devices ;S S, and which is bifurcated in front "of its fulcrunrfor the purpose of operating on toes g of levers h, that are connected above and below its fulcrum .by rods '6 j with the opposite sliding jaws b b of each pair of jaws Springs 70 one to eitherlever h, serve to close the jaws when released from opening action by the rotation of the cam D.

The cutter or scraper U of the rotary dressing device is moved in a progressive manner toward the knob when under operation in the dresser, and retired when required by the alternate action of a cam, G, on the shaft N and a spring, To this end said cutter is secured to a vertical spindle, l, in a fixed standard, m and provided at its upper end with an arm, n, on which the spring H pulls to retire the cutter, as against the action of the cam G, which operates upon a lever, 0, connected with the arm h to feed the cutter up to its work.

The loosely-revolving lower head or clamp Tof that portion of the rotary dresser which holds the knob while being dressed is elevated, partially lowered, afterward further lowered, and its necessary retention in such different positions effected, all as hereinbefore referred to, as follows:

Said lower head or clamp '1 is carried by a vertical rod, (6 which is free to slide up and down in its bearings, and is moved and held down by a spring, W, as against the lilting action of a cam, K, on the shaft N, said cam bearing on a lever, 0 which is connected by a rod, (1, with an arm, 6 of a lower crossshaft,

f that is free to rock in its bearings and carries on the opposite side of its axis a toe, g, which bears against the lower end of the sliding rod a to lift the latter, and through it the clamping-head '1.

The other or upper clamping-head W has a positive and continuous rotary motion communicated to it by means of a vertical shaft, h, on which it is hung so as to turn with the shaft, but with freedom of selfadjustment up or down, under control of the spring it, to effect a soft or elastic hold on the knob. This shaft k is driven by bevel-gear R 1 which-derive their motion from the shaft N by spur-gear on W.

The charge-carrier O is operated, as hereinbefore described, by the conjoint action of a cam, L, on the shaft N, and a spring, M, on a lower shaft, a, which is hung to rock in its bearings, and is connected, as by an arm, b and rod, c, with the rear end of the carrier.

The cam L acts upon a lever, 12, to force the carrier back through a rod, eiand arm, f, on the shaft a, such action being as against the effect of the spring M, which operates to throw the carrierforwaul. Said cam Lis jogged on a portion of its periphery to cause.

the rear end of the carrier 0, when thrown back and in communication with the hopper, to give a series of jerking actions to the agitator E, by the contact of a leg or tail from the latter with the rear end of the carrier. I

Having now described my invention, and how the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that the details of the same and means of communicating to the several parts their requisite motions may be variously modified without changing the distinguishing character' or leading features of the invention.

hat is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The adjustable throat B of the hopper, in combination with the charge-carrier O and bed D, over which the receiving-chamber of the carrier travels, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the die-case F, of the upper and lower dies G I and plunger H, operating together-to lift the molded article out of the die-casc and to retain a yielding pressure on said article while being so lifted, essentially as herein set forth.

3. The combination in -the one machine, with the charge-carrier O and moldim devices F GE I, of the rotary dressing device T V VV for trimming the edge of the molded article as it comes from the dies, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the molding-dies GI and rotary dressing device TV W, of an automatic device S for transferring the molded article to the dressing device, essentially aswdescribed 5. The combination, with the molding-dies G I, no tary dressing device T V \V, and automatic transferring device S, of an automatic discharging device, S, for removing the dressed article, substantially as specified.

THOS. J. SLOAN.

Witnesses FRED. HAYNES, FEED. TUSOH. 

